Authors | Flagpole Magazine | Athens, GA News, Music, Arts, Restaurants

Blog posts by Hillary Brown

Bottleworks Gaining Two New Restaurants

Blog: Grub Notes

Things seem to have been turning around in the Bottleworks ever since its new landlords took over. The space is beautiful, but, due to parking issues, among other problems, has been at times a revolving door for tenants.

The opening of Hendershots seemed a step in the right direction, and now developer Parkside Partners and broker Sloane Nichols have announced two new additions to the complex.

By Hillary Brown | September 25, 2013
Juice Up Coming Downtown, One Café in Old Hendershot's

Blog: Grub Notes

The space that is probably still most fondly remembered as 283 Bar and that has been a series of bars since is about to focus on healthy living instead of debauchery.

Juice Up: The Original Juice Cafe looks to open at 283 Broad St. fairly soon. Juice is the next fro-yo, and Juice Up aims to offer smoothies as well for those looking to consume their nutrition in liquid form.

By Hillary Brown | September 24, 2013
Donderos' Open in New Location

Blog: Grub Notes

If you're wondering why Donderos' Kitchen was closed today, it's because, after months and months of work, it's finally ready to open tomorrow in its new location, in the orange house next door to its current digs on North Milledge (there's a semi-recent Google Street View shot of the new location being worked on above).

The renovation appears to have been a labor of love, with slow scraping, painting, etc., taking place over a long period of time, but here's hoping the new digs allow for some better traffic flow inside as well as more space.

Say the owners:

We are closed today (9/16). Tomorrow (9/17) we will have a soft opening at our new location! 590 North Milledge Ave. (the orange house next to our current store). We have passed all inspections and currently are waiting for final approval from HPC. Stop by to see the new Donderos! We will be brewing Jittery Joes & 1000 Faces coffee!

By Hillary Brown | September 16, 2013
Grindhouse is Open, Big City Bread's Winterville Venture

Blog: Grub Notes

After a bit of stop-and-start in construction, Atlanta's Grindhouse Killer Burgers will open on Lumpkin Street tomorrow (Friday the 13th—no coincidence).

The small chain, owned by a perfectionist who spent crazy amounts of time finding exactly the right buns to serve when he opened his original location in the Sweet Auburn Curb Market, focuses on simplicity rather than excess, with burgers that are manageable, not huge, and made with care.

By Hillary Brown | September 12, 2013
Free Fatburger at Both Walmart Locations Saturday

Blog: Grub Notes

In addition to all the other food craziness hitting Athens tomorrow (Harry's opening at 9 a.m., The World Famous offering a tailgate breakfast starting at 8 a.m., Herschel's taking reservations), Fatburger, the West Coast burger chain, will be handing out free burgers and Coke Zero™ at both Walmarts tomorrow.

By Hillary Brown | September 6, 2013
Echo Opens Today, Fat & Happy Open Already

Blog: Grub Notes

Echo

Photo Credit: Photo via Facebook

Broad Street Coffee, now known as Echo, didn't stay closed for long. The vegan restaurant is opening up in its new location, the former home of Farm 255 on W. Washington Street downtown, at 11 a.m. today. (Complete with doggie decor, per the restaurant's Facebook page.)

Fat & Happy BBQ, next door to Jimbo's at 699 Baxter and owned by Mark Day and Quinn Postero, is also open.

By Hillary Brown | September 3, 2013
home.made No Longer Dine-in at Lunch, Streets Serving on Boulevard

Blog: Grub Notes

Photo Credit: Facebook

home.made

After a few short weeks doing its new eat-in lunch program, home.made catering is having to scale back and go to pick-up and delivery only (through Bulldawg Food).

It's not that Mimi Maumus's food wasn't successful. Instead, it may have been too much so. Her neighbors weren't happy with the influx of vehicles seeking to park during the lunch hour, despite the fact that Baxter Street is in many ways a ghost town and could really use a boost. You'll just have to lay out your own tablecloth and bud vase and pretend.

By Hillary Brown | August 27, 2013
Independent Baking Co. Is Open, White Tiger Ends Brunch Buffet and More

Blog: Grub Notes

White Tiger is changing up its brunch a little, switching this weekend from a buffet to an a la carte service. The hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays, with lots of vegetarian and vegan options, plus BBQ Benedict (biscuit, bbq pork, sausage gravy, over-easy egg). The full menu is available after noon those days.

Thom Leonard's Independent Baking Co. opened for business for real at 7 a.m. today. They've got bread, pastries, muffins (supposedly) and 1000 Faces Coffee.

By Hillary Brown | August 21, 2013
Independent Baking Co. Is (Sort of) Open

Blog: Grub Notes

So, Thom Leonard's Independent Baking Co. (now with Facebook!) is still not really open, but that doesn't mean you can't get a baguette.

By Hillary Brown | August 14, 2013
Catch 22 Gastropub to Open on Epps Bridge

Blog: Grub Notes

Of all the things most likely to open in the former Choo Choo space on Epps Bridge, a gastropub was probably not on your mental list, but Catch 22 is set to do exactly that in the near future.

By Hillary Brown | August 14, 2013
Downtown Subway is Moving, home.made Lunch and More

Blog: Grub Notes

If you just love the heck out of Subway but find its location on West Broad Street in the Gameday condos too far to walk, you'll be pleased to know it's moving into the space vacated by fro-yo hotspot Yoguri at the corner of Clayton and College sometime in September.

By Hillary Brown | August 12, 2013
Hendershot's Starts Real Food, Groucho's is Open

Blog: Grub Notes

One of the things that made the move of Hendershot's a net positive was the coffee shop/bar's acquisition of a real kitchen. A food menu was in place before, but it was limited. Now Ivey Hughes can stretch out and expand. That new menu starts today, with lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

By Hillary Brown | August 9, 2013
Normaltown Cafe Reopens in Danielsville, Hugh Acheson Hooks Up with Live Nation

Blog: Grub Notes

Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood

Once upon a time, before Normaltown had cute hipster printing shops and doughnuts and there wasn't a big hole in the air where Allen's once was, there was a modest restaurant there called Normaltown Cafe. Then it operated on Tallassee for a while, in the space that's now Sr. Sol. Old Athens folks will appreciate that it is reopening, although this time in Danielsville, at 200 General Daniels Rd., near the Hardee's.

By Hillary Brown | July 29, 2013
Food Events Around Town: Avid, Athens Farmers Market and More

Blog: Grub Notes

Kevin West

Avid Bookshop continues to program a robust schedule of food-related events, with several in the near future. Tomorrow (Saturday) at Athens Farmers Market (AFM), Kevin West, author of "Saving the Season: A Cook's Guide to Home Canning, Pickling, and Preserving," will be on hand to do a demo. West's blog should give you a nice overview of his mad skillz with preserving fresh produce.

By Hillary Brown | July 27, 2013
Athens' New Mobile Eatery: Wingspan

Blog: Grub Notes

If you're still mourning the loss of Uncle Jerry's, the tasty little trailer that served biscuits and burgers on Chase Street, then you will be as excited as I was to hear that a new mobile eatery, Wingspan, has moved onto its spot, at Chase and Oneta, in the parking lot most famous for containing Twice the Ice.

Run by Alicia and Daniel May of Blazer's in Madison County, Wingspan isn't expecting business to boom for a while. Rather, the Mays hope to iron out the kinks before football season, like a lot of restaurant folks in this town. They rent the space and the certified commissary from the folks who own the lot (and ran Uncle Jerry's) and don't have plans to move around for now, but, as Alicia May pointed out, that is the advantage of a food truck: the ability to pick up and move elsewhere should business not be great.

By Hillary Brown | July 25, 2013
home.made Starts Lunch, Zoe's Kitchen Opens Aug. 1 and More

Blog: Grub Notes

Photo Credit: Image via Facebook

home.made

As my nemesis (and buddy) Andre Gallant reported over on the Banner-Herald's site, Mimi Maumus's home.made catering is set to start serving lunch out of its Baxter Street space in mid-August. It's welcome news. Maumus has built a following through her excellent catering, which is southern-influenced but refined and always beautifully presented.

By Hillary Brown | July 25, 2013
Drinks in Normaltown, Bread and Mexican Food in Five Points, Hot Dogs and Hot Wings

Blog: Grub Notes

There's quite a bit of news to get through here, so bear with me. You may have noticed that Rustica, occupying the former spot of Las Conchitas Caliente in Normaltown, shuttered a while back, and now some folks are working on the space again. But don't confuse it with The Old Pal, the bar due to open in the former Jewels space next door. The new spot will be called Hi-Lo, and although I don't yet know what kind of food it will have, it should continue serving drinks.

By Hillary Brown | July 23, 2013
J. Christopher's to Open in Five Points

Blog: Grub Notes

After a surprisingly long time vacant, following the closing of first Five Points Deli and then The Local Jam, the space on the ground floor of the Stiles Building in the heart of Five Points has found a new tenant in metro Atlanta-based franchise J. Christopher's, a breakfast and lunch restaurant.

By Hillary Brown | July 19, 2013
Jittery Joe's Roasting Co. to Move to Barber Street

Blog: Grub Notes

We've all known it's coming, as the Selig development has moved inexorably through local government channels, that Jittery Joe's Roasting/Tasting Room, which sits on the same site, is not long for this world. Now the folks behind it are announcing a move to Barber Street (Google Maps screenshot above) at the end of next month. Considering how friendly and awesomely Athens they managed to make the other space, I have full faith in their ability to do the same this go-round. The letter follows:

By Hillary Brown | July 18, 2013
Five and Ten is Back

Blog: Grub Notes

Photo via Instagram

Well, that wasn't a very long hiatus. After moving quarters from its original digs in the heart of Five Points (not officially sold yet, but there appear to be some parties interested in the space for a restaurant), Hugh Acheson's flagship restaurant will be open again in its new location Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (coffee and tartines) and then at 5 p.m. for dinner, per the restaurant's Twitter account.

By Hillary Brown | July 9, 2013